Circleville- A Vietnam Veteran and Purple Heart Recipient is coming home today and he will be escorted via US-23 from Columbus. This Veteran spent the last 20 years living in Circleville, and moved away recently to spend time with family before passing. He will leave Port Columbus around 6 pm tonight and travel through the area by US-23 through Circleville on his way to his childhood area Pomeroy Ohio for his final resting place.
More details are in the obituary below provided by the family.
Roger Dale Shiflet passed away in peace Friday September
11, 2020 at 11:01 am in Guyton, GA at his side; daughters Melissa
(Shiflet) Creech and Jeanette (Shiflet) Cockerham.
Roger Dale Shiflet was born to Mary Katherine (Young) Shiflet and Huge
Barbee Shiflet in Point Pleasant, WV on February 24, 1947. Roger had 5
siblings, brothers David Shiflet, Robert R. Shiflet, Nathaniel Shiflet
and sisters Nancy (Shiflet) Malone, Joyce (Shiflet) Brown. Roger was
survived by his daughter Melissa Marie (Shiflet) Creech son in law
Joseph M Creech grand children Jamie W. Howell fiance Emily Fields,
Chase W. Howell wife Liz (Brady) Howell, Catelyn M Creech and Clayton
M Creech; great grandchild Landon W Howell. Daughter Jeanette Rene
(Shiflet) Cockerham son in law Kyle R Cockerham grandchildren Anton M
Blanchard and Keeland J Blanchard; also surviving many nieces and
nephews.
Roger was born in Point Pleasant, WV he was raised between the West
Virginia and Pomeroy, Ohio border. His last 20 plus years he was a
resident of Circleville, OH and recently moved to Louisville, Ga to be
near his daughters. In Rogers’ early years he graduated from
Middleport High School in Middleport, OH class of 1965. After
graduation Roger enlisted into the US Army and was drafted to Vietnam
on July 3rd 1970; serving 2 tours a total of 18 months and 28 days.
During this time he met his late wife Mary Catherine (Bottorff)
Shiflet and they were wed on December 26th 1971. A few years after
Roger and Mary had their 1st daughter Melissa Marie (Shiflet) Creech
March 22, 1975. Rogers’ military career lasted through September 05,
1975 in which he was honorably discharged from his last duty at the
USS Albany in Norfolk, VA. Upon discharge he received the following
medals, badges commendations and campaign ribbons: Vietnam Service
Medal, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Purple Heart, Vietnam Campaign
Medal w/ Device 60, Army Commendation Medal with 2D Oak Leaf Cluster,
Good Conduct Medal, and Expert M-16. After being discharged from the
service Roger and his family returned to Ohio where he started a
career in welding and sheet medaling soon growing into a master
welder. During this time Roger continued his growth in his career and
family having another daughter Jeanette Rene (Shiflet) Cockerham April
21st 1983 in Circleville, OH. Shortly after the birth of his second
daughter Roger and his family moved to Arlington, TX over the next 8
years his career continued to grow in the south helping build local
Wal Marts and several retail chains.
Roger decided to move back to his home state in 1991; he then became
an avid member of Alcoholics Anonymous through central and southern
Ohio. In these years Roger helped chair and continue growth in this
organization. Roger also had a love for Christ and he always remained
strong in faith knowing we all had a place all you needed to do was
stay in scripture “the word” and pray everyday.
Roger was a social butterfly and had many friends stretching between
central and southern Ohio even moving south into Texas. The warm
weather is always where he wanted to be and he said this often. He was
an avid sports fan supporting his favorite football team of all time
the Houston Oilers clear through their change of hands taking on the
new state and name of the Tennessee Titans. He loved music and dancing
many Saturdays were times Roger and Mary would get with local friends
and have house karaoke parties.
As deeply as Roger will be missed we have comfort in knowing he is in
a better place with no suffering alongside his late wife Mary. Roger
would have wanted us all to keep on living in this time with strong
values set by the bible, and remember to always help one another. As
it is stated in Psalms 9:10-11 “Everyone who knows you, Lord, trusts
in you. You will never turn away from anyone who comes to you for
help. Give a song to the Lord to praise him!”
Coming home celebration will start with a flight into Columbus
International Airport being met by the local Veteran brigade in which
he will be led into southern Ohio. Details will soon be posted on the
time of when this will begin. Rogers services will be held on XXXX at
Anderson McDaniel Funeral Home 264 South Second Ave. Middleport, OH
45760. Family and Friends may arrive at XXX; burial to follow at the
XXX cemetary.
